Cuneiform Records: RUNE 415 
http://www.cuneiformrecords.com/bandshtml/thumbscrew.html

* Mary Halvorson: guitar
* Michael Formanek: double bass
* Tomas Fujiwara: drums
 
http://www.thumbscrew.net/ 
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/thumbscrew-mn0003213750
 
http://www.maryhalvorson.com/ 
http://www.michaelformanek.com/ 
http://www.tomasfujiwara.com/

Recorded by Nate Campisi at Mr. Smalls Studio,
Pittsburgh, PA (Pennsylvania, USA), on July 2-4, 2015.


Reviews
~~~~~~~

By Stuart Kremsky

Convallaria, the second release by the coop trio Thumbscrew, is chock full of
seriously playful music that gleefully erases genre boundaries on piece after
piece. Guitarist Mary Halvorson, bassist Michael Formanek, and drummer Tomas
Fujiwara have worked together on myriad projects under various leaders, but
this trio is a true egalitarian effort, playing music specifically composed for
the band. To that end, the musicians participated in a two week residency at
the City of Asylum program in Pittsburgh. Formanek rightly remarks that this
kind of concentrated time together is “almost heard of these days,” and it’s
apparent from the music that the time was well spent. The powerful empathy that
the trio exhibits on these finely tailored compositions gives them the freedom
and the confidence to take the music just about anywhere they
choose. Instrumental high points abound, from Fujiwara’s funky outpouring on
Halvorson’s Cleome, to Halvorson’s raging and rather unexpected guitar solo in
the middle of the otherwise low-key The Cardinal and the Weathervane, a piece
by Fujiwara, to Formanek’s absorbingly dense extended solo on his own Spring
Ahead. No surprise there for anyone who’s been paying attention to these
musicians over the years, but one of the main attractions here is the magically
enthralling second-by-second interplay among the musicians. Rhythmically and
dynamically diverse, this is a long disc that never wears out its
welcome. Enthusiastically recommended.

--

By Eric McDowell 
http://www.freejazzblog.org/2016/06/thumbscrew-convallaria-cuneiform-2016.html

By Justin Cober-Lake

By Glenn Astarita 
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/convallaria-michael-formanek-cuneiform-records-review-by-glenn-astarita.php

By Tim Owen

Di Andrea Baroni (it) 
http://www.storiadellamusica.it/soul-jazz/free_jazz/thumbscrew-convallaria%28cuneiform-2016%29.html

Par Luc Bouquet (fr)

Par Franpi Barriaux (fr) 
http://www.franpisunship.com/archives/2016/07/07/34015085.html

Brevario (es) 
http://elintruso.com/2016/04/29/convallaria-el-segundo-album-de-thumbscrew/